Apparatus for vulcanizing articles of caoutchouc.



No. 674,060. Patented May 14, IBM. H. HAMET. APPARATUS FOR VULCANIZING ARTICLES 0F CAOUTGHOUC.

(Application filed. May 24, 1900.)

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H. HAMET.

ULGANIZING ARTICLES 0F CAOUTGHOUC.

(Applicatiun filed May 24, 1900.)

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FFIEQ HENRI HAMET, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR VULCANIZING ARTICLES OF CAOUTCHOUC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,060, dated May 14, 1901. Application filed May 24;, 1900. Serial No. 17,816. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRI HAMET, engineer, of 34 Rue Piat, in the city of Paris, Republic of France, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Vulcanizing Articles of Caoutchouc, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Molds used for vulcanizing articles of caoutchonc have hitherto consisted of heavy iron or steel castings made in several parts united by clamps or keys, which molds are for the purposes of vulcanization placed in boilers fitted with melted sulfur or in closed steamchambers. Such molds are heavy and costly to make, are liable to be easily damaged, and involve a large expenditure of fuel for heating them, whether by means of steam or sulfur. Moreover, the output with these molds is very limited.

This invention relates to apparatus for vulcanizing articles of caou tchouc in a more rapid and perfect manner and at a less cost for fuel and labor than by the means heretofore employed.

The apparatus of my invention comprises molds stamped up from sheet copper, steel, tin-plate, or other metal or alloy, to which heat is directly applied over their entire surface. The molds, which depend in form on the article to be vulcanized, consist, essen tially, of two distinct parts fitting together and carried,'respectively, by a fixed table and a vertically-sliding top plate mechanically operated for opening and closing all the molds at once.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a part-sectional front elevation of vulcanizing apparatus; and Fig. 2, a cross-section of the same on line A B, Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference denote the same parts in both figures.

The apparatus comprises a stationary table (1 and a vertically-sliding plate I), mounted above, the table and plate having chambers c, in which the upper and lower parts of the molds are received and in which steam is circulated for heating the molds. Each mold comprises two parts CZ, stamped up or otherwise produced from sheet copper, steel, or

other suitable metal or alloy, of a form to correspond with that of the article to be vulcanized, each half of the mold being preferably inclosed in a thin metal envelop 6, provided with flanges, which bear against collars f, let into table at and plate b. The envelop e may, however, be dispensed with, the parts (1 of the mold in that case fitting directly against the collars f. The molds d are held in position by means of plates g, respectively fixed to the upper face of table a and the lower part of plate Z), the plates being apertnred to receive the parts (1 of the molds, which fit in said apertures flush with the plates g, their edges being beveled, so that the two halves of each mold fit exactly together when plate I) is at the lowest point of its course.

The plate I) is raised and lowered in its guides by means of cams h, keyed on a shaft 2', driven from a pulleyj through the toothed gears 7t Z, the pulley j being coupled with the shaft upon which it is mounted by means of any suitable clutch m, operated by hand-lever 01.

The molds are heated by steam automatically admitted to the chambers c by the action of a cam o, keyed on shaft t' and acting upon a lever 19, coupled to the lever of the steamcock q, whereby the steam is admitted and shut off at proper times. Any other heating agent maybe employed instead of steam, the heating agent being in direct contact with the entire surface of each mold.

The apparatus also comprises means for injecting hot air into hollow articles of caoutchouc while being vulcanized, the lower half of each mold being apertured and provided with a guide-tube m for the passage of a tubular puncturing-needle r, through which hot air is injected, the article to be vulcanized being madewith a washer or extra thickness at the point to be penetrated by the needle in order to prevent the escape of the air injected on the withdrawal of the needle. The several needles are all mounted upon a chamber s, supplied with hot air under pressure and to which vertical movement is imparted by eccentrics t, on which it rests, keyed upon cross shafts to, which are driven through bevel-gear from a longitudinal shaft '1), proplate band bring the upper halves of the molds down upon the lower halves, so as to fit closely thereon. The clutch is then disen gaged so as to leave the plate I) in its lowest position and keep the molds closed during the time of the operation. As soon as the plate 1) reaches its lowest position the cam 0 opens the cock (1 to admit steam to the chambers c, whereupon the molds being entirely enveloped in steam and being made of thin metal the heat will be immediately transmitted to the article to be vulcanized, while the steam will insure perfect closure of the molds. When vulcanizing hollow articles, hot air under pressure is injected therein, while the external surface of the article is subjected to the action of heat by acting on hand-lever 10, so as to raise chamber 3 and cause the needles to penetrate the articles contained in the molds. This operation may, however, in certain cases be previously performed. The articles of caoutchouc are expanded by the internal pressure and caused to conform exactly to the molds, and as the caoutchouc is subjected both internally and externally to the action of heat the vulcanization will be rapidly eflected. \Vhen the operation is complete, the needles r are withdrawn and then clutch m is engaged, so as to cause the steam to be shut off at q and the plate I) to be raised to its highest position, whereupon the clutch is disengaged, and the apparatus being now at rest the operator is able to remove the vulcanized articles and substitute others. After the article has been vulcanized and is ready to be removed a portion of the hot air injected may be exhausted in order to avoid excessive internal pressure at the moment of its removal, so that the article may thus be inflated to any desired degree.

The apparatus may comprise any suitable number of superposed plates provided upon one or both faces with chambers in which the molds may be fitted, as above described.

There may be any desired number of molds, and the form, dimensions, and accessory arrangements may be varied to suit requirements.

1 claim- 1. An apparatus for vulcanizing articles of caoutchouc, comprising molds stamped up from sheet metal and to which heat is directly applied over their entire surface, such molds consisting essentially of two distinct parts fitting together and carried respectively by a fixed table, a vertically-sliding top plate mechanically operated for opening and closing all the molds at once, and means for automatically admitting heat to'the molds when the same are closed,substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for vulcanizing articles of caoutchouc which comprises two-part sheetmetal mold-sections removably secured in place and the rear face of each section of the molds forming a Wall of a heating-chamber whereby heat can be directly applied to the molds throughout their entire surface, one set of said mold-sections being carried by a fixed table and the other set by a sliding plate, mechanical means for moving said sliding plate, a hollow needle cooperating with each mold and adapted to be brought into communication with an inflating fluid, means for moving said needles independently of the mold-sections so that the needles can be projected into and withdrawn from the article contained Within each mold to inflate said article and means for automatically admitting heat to the molds when the same are closed.

The foregoing specification of my Apparatus for vulcanizing articles of caoutchouc signed by me this 5th day of May, 1900.

HENRI HAMET.

Witnesses:

EDWARD P. lVIACLEAN, 1VIAURICE I-I. PIGNET. 

